Examining instrument



Aug. 16, 1949. E* HELD EXAMINING INSTRUMENT Filed May 16, 194e mmmlnw INI/ENTOR.- JSEPHEHELD ATTUHNE'Y Patented Aug. 16, 1949 l Joseph E. field,` New York, N."vr Yi,' assignor'v'tov American Cystoscope Makers; I nc.; New York;

` N. Y., a c( )rrmratien of New Application Maylie, 1946;'sefi1 No. 610,170' ,Y 101mm@ (on-iz'ssy This invention relates to an'examining instlulemployed under a relatively wide range of condiment, and Amore particularly to an instrument tions. 'that may be readily introduced into and removed With the above and other objects in view, the

from tortuous body cavities or passages for the invention comprisesV the devices, combinations purpose of permitting the ready examination of 5 and 'arrangements of parts set forth in the folthe' walls of such passages under conditions of lowing detailed description and illustrated in the illuminated vision. annexed drawing of a preferred embodiment of Aninstrument constructed in accordance with the invention, from which the several features this invention may beadvantageously employed of the invention, together with the advantages for. examination and diagnosis of the pharynx l attainable thereby, will' be readily understood by and the esophagus. vAs will be apparent to perlpersons skilled in the art.

sons skilled vin the art, the instrument is adapted In the drawing;

to be readily used'for purposes of examination Figure lis "a' central longitudinal cross-secand diagnosis in connection with other body pastional View through an instrument constructed sages aswell. l5 in accordance with the invention, with parts Instruments of thistype that have beenV genbroken away and other parts omitted;

erally used by the medical profession heretofore 'Figure 2 isacross-sectional View taken along have been rigid in construction. Despite the exline Z-ZofFigure 1;

treme careexercised by the operator in introduc- Figure 3 is a;top plan view of the forward end ing 'a conventional instrument of this type into 20 ofthe instrumentv illustrated inY Figure 1;

the esophagus, the patient is almost invariably Figure 4 isaside elevational View, with parts subjected to considerable discomfort and pain broken away, ofthe instrument of Figure 1 with andto severe shock. Also, the delicate memthe means for supplying illumination removed;

branes of the pharynx and esophagus which come Figure 5 is an elevational View of the instruin contact with the non-yielding surfaces of the 25 ment of Figure 4, as viewed from the left thereof,Y

instrument become irritated and injured with and illustratingfthe means for supplying illumiconsequent damage to the health of the patient. nationnoperatively associated therewith; and

The instrument of this invention eliminates Figure 6 is a side elevational View, with parts to a substantial degree the objections referred to broken away, of the means for supplying illumiabove in that by virtue of its flexible construction, A3,0 nationv to the instrument illustrated in Figure 4.

the introduction of the instrument into a body Referring now to the drawing wherein like passage, such as the esophagus, may be facilireference characters denote corresponding parts tated; It has been ascertained that my examinthroughout the several views, the instrument iling instrument may be readily manipulated and lustrated therein includes a handle or grip IU inserted through the rmouth VofY the patient and that is iiuted, las indicated at II, whereby the thence into the usually distorted passages of the instrument maybe securely grasped and manipuesophagus and still permit of examination. lated. Handle I0is bored to obtain a pair of ad- It is the primary object of this invention to projacent tube-receivingopenings I2 and I3 and a vide an examining instrument that may be third through opening I 4 for receiving an alignreadily introduced into a body passage, such as 40 ing pin that will be described further along the esophagus, with a minimum of pain and herein.

Shock to the patient and damage to the mem- An examining tubular member I5 includes a branes constituting the walls of the passage. rigid rearward end portion I6 and a flexible for- An important object of the invention is to proward end portion I1. As is shown, flexibility is vide an instrument of the character indicated attained in portion I1 by virtue of its generally which permits of the ready examination of body helical configuration. Also, as is shown, flexible passages under conditions of illuminated vision. portion I1 may constitute an extension of rigid Another important object of the invention is portion I6 but, if desired, may be a separate tuto provide an examining instrument possessing bular element appropriately joined to rigid porcharacteristics of flexibility which permit of its tion I6. The rearward end of portion I6 terready insertion into and removal from distorted minates in opening I2 in handle II! and is ator tortuous body passages. tached to the handle in any manner known to The invention has for a further object the prothe art. A hollow tip element 20 constitutes the vision of an examining instrument that is capable y free end of flexible portion I1 and is provided with of being readily manipulated and successfully a compartment 2| that serves as a lamp housing 

